One small note about the poll, because New Years fell on a Sunday there is no Rose bowl Parade, and Not many (if any) college bowl games today, instead there are Pro Football games. Those things will instead be tomorrow.

Heh, thanks for the clarification Adam. I guess you can tell the parades and bowl games were not festiviTea prioriTea. I will be with fam ... so to speak. I will be helping my legally blind mom with her replacement logitech universal remote and a few other little projects. Tea will be NEEDED.

Began the TD with Kabusecha from O-Cha, remnants of OTTI 11. Came out quite well, but have noticed this seems to come out differently each time I brew it.

Today is absolutely nada. Went for a run with the dog and enjoyed the sun and 65 degrees. Had a cup of the assam from mother, and tonight will be using up the last of the loose leaf Earl Grey from my bf. Brewed it western style last night, as I don't yet have the tea-ware for gongfu. It came out surprisingly well.

Started the teaDay with more of the puerh I started last night, a 2000 CNNP 'green mark' sheng, which is deliciously sweet and went very well with a rather rich breakfast featuring bacon. I have limited tea with me here at Mom's house, and will be needing it frequently as I work on various projects for her during the day.

I have navy bean soup in the slow cooker, which I'll eat later with some cornbread. In my family eating beans on New Year's Day is traditional for good luck. Right now drinking some Yame Fukamushi sencha from OTTI 11.

We did our traditional New Year's Eve with a seafood buffet: several kinds of oysters on the half-shell, crab and shrimp salad, cold poached salmon, wakame (日本 の seaweed), takuan (pickled daikon), and a crusty French baguette--all washed down with some bubbly. Then hubby and I quietly rang in the New Year with Sencha The Ultimate, yawned (we're grandparents, after all) and went to bed.

Began New Year's Day with organic Earl Grey from Tea Forte' complete with milk & honey, as usual. Later, we went out for brunch, at the end of which I had an espresso Roma.

Back home, noshing in the evening included Kyo Sencha and now, before bed it'll be chamomile with honey.Tomorrow, we'll watch the Rose Parade on TV and down more tea. Hubby's more of a coffee drinker in the morning but myself, being Irish, I'll be having tea, tea, and more tea.

We watched the parade in person one year (bro-in-law lives in Pasadena right on the route). Interesting, but what a zoo! Once was enough; now we get up, turn the TV on at 8am and sit in our PJs while drinking tea and snacking. BTW it was 82F sunny and clear as a bell today. Tomorrow is supposed to be the same. We could see Catalina Island from our driveway. Not bad......

Had trouble loading the new topic for Monday, "What was your tea of the month for December?" So look for this sometime on Monday.

Will do, Chip. While a lifelong tea drinker, I am merely a just-budding tea enthusiast. I confess I had no idea there was so much in the world of tea. I am learning a lot reading all of the topics here at TeaChat. So happy to have found this site!

BTW want to wish you, Mrs. Chip and all TeaChatters a very HAPPY NEW YEAR, and all the best in 2012!

Happy New Year!! My day consisted of the House Crasher marathon on DIY network. When I was a kid I always thought it was strange that adults enjoyed HGTV and DIY shows. I guess I am officially a weird adult that likes to watch house renovations About to start my TEAday with some kabusecha from O-Cha. Hopefully later I will have time for some Yame Gyokuro

#1. It was great to go back to EoT's 1993 7542. I just saw David's post relating that the cakes are now sold out from his supplier.

#2. some nice toasty packed Yancha, DHP from a colleague (direct from China)

#3. Finished up some TeaMasters Ali Shan. Left water in (+-195 deg) for final extended (10+ min) brew that brought out some interesting floral aspects not found before. Big leaf Taiwan green brewing continues to be interesting in the possibilities through tweaking brewing parameters.

#4. Some Liu An (like only 3-4 grams) in my new 50 ml gaiwan from Dragon Tea House. The moderately sharp anise-like finish went well with the DHP.

#5. Finishing some gifted Phoenix Oosmanthus DanCong. It amazes me how brew number 1 one the next day is always the best. This varietal seems to be one of the few teas to recharge each day. (now on day 7)

Well, that and hanging out with family and a visit to the lake.Happy New Year TC'ers!